Desert Snow
by Kitsune Slave
Summary: Gaara has a problem. He wants to change but Suna citizens are having a hard time forgetting his blood-drenched past. Kankuro comes up with the perfect solution. A lovely item. Say what? GaaHina GaaraxHinata GaaraHinata
1. Chapter 1

((Okay, this was a story that I made for momofletti. They asked me to make a Gaara/Hinata pairing and after several attempts of trying, failing, and eventually making a decent beginning, I lost it. But after searching through all of my notebooks, I've found it once more and I'm writing it down and putting it up before I lose it again! So momofletti, sorry for the wait and hopefully, you haven't died yet!))

Hinata Hyuuga. Fragile, gentle, nervous Hinata. Compared to the violently passionate Sakura and the arrogantly confident Ino, the delicate bluenette was an adorable force to be reckoned with. Ten-ten was closer to her style but the weapons master didn't have the Hyuuga girl's nurturing nature. She, along with her Kekkei Genkai, was a brilliant healer. Fighting just didn't suit her submissive nature but she did as well as any could expect against her cousin, Neji.

Everyone felt her pain when she was defeated and on the brink of death. Everyone except Gaara. He was a death-dealer, forever on the outside of that dizzying cycle. He knew that the only way for him to join everyone else in such a state was through old age. But would Shukaku let him? Or was he doomed to live his entire life alone and eternal?

As he thought about what the demon might do to him, the sand he controlled kicked up- a clear sign of aggitation. His siblings and keeper noticed almost immediately and stopped what they were doing. Ever since the Chuunin Exams a few months ago, they weren't sure how to handle the redhead's moodiness. It was obvious that he was trying to change and his brother and sister wanted to support him. But instinct and habit caused them to edge away when he got like this.

Suna was the same as always. Sand and fear were things that didn't fade easily. The citizens wouldn't walk outside at night and it wasn't because of the near-freezing temperatures. Gaara didn't sleep. Ever. Shukaku would escape and reek havoc on the village. So he meandered around outside for something to do. In the past, he would kill whoever crossed his path. Now he patrolled the village to keep it safe. But the past is a difficult thing to forget.

In their eyes, he would never be anything more than a monster.

"Gaara, you need a lovely item."

Temari stared at Kankuro after he made that announcement and answered for the wide-eyed Gaara. "What he needs is to not be related to you. Why would you even suggest something like that? You know he doesn't know how to treat "lovely items"... no offense."

The redhead just shook his head. His sister was right. He didn't know anything but killing and hatred. What would he do with a lovely item once he got one.

But Kankuro didn't let up. "I'm serious! I was reading up on it and even the toughest killer looks friendly with a lovely item by his side! They were talking about teddy bears and different clothes... what do you think?"

She tried to think about it and rolled her eyes in the end. "His normal clothes are find. And a stuffed animal won't help much either."

"What about a girl?" the brunette male asked with a grin. "A nice, soft-spoken girl dressed in frilly outfits and staying by his side in public? Think that'll do the trick?"

Gaara knew Temari's answer before she even thought about it. His blond sister had been without female companionship for almost her entire life. Suna had girls but they were as harsh and unforgiving as she was. The price of living in the desert, he supposed. But a gentle girl dressed up in cutesy clothes was enough to brighten anybody's day.

"That's not a bad idea. Who, though? Any of the girls at school wouldn't fit the bill."

"What about that Matsuri girl?" Baki asked, finally putting in his two-cents. The tan giant usually stayed silent until it suited him to speak a short, direct sentance or two.

Kankuro nodded faintly. "She's not bad but... I'm sure there's someone better, right?" As cute as Matsuri was, excessive chatting on her part would only annoy Gaara. And shedding blood was no way to treat lovely items.

Temari had to agree with her younger brother. She thought for a moment and then it hit her. "What about looking in Konoha? They've got a lot of cute girls. Even if we stuck to the kunoichi from the exams, there's four right there."

Gaara couldn't deny that but he never thought of any girls as "cute". But when it came to tolerable female companions, only one came to his mind. "Hyuuga..." Too bad he didn't remember her name. Or what she looked like. She was quiet, though, and that was all that mattered to him.

"Hyuuga?" Temari asked, glaring in thought. Truthfully, she only remembered Neji's name from that clan. Why would her brother ever request that asshole when they were talking about nice, pretty girls? She really hoped that that wasn't a sign pointing to sudden homosexuality. She wanted to be an aunt someday and quite frankly, Kankuro's kids were bound to turn out all wrong.

The brunet male of the group pieced it together. "You mean Hinata?"

All three shinobi thought about the bluenette as a possibility. She was cute despite her bulky attire. Even when shouting, her voice was low but maybe a little high? Not an annoying high, though. Just a bit high-pitched and mousey.

Suddenly Temari wanted to bring her to Suna, if only to get her out of that coat and into clothes that the blond was unable to wear. Tough girls just didn't do "frilly" and "girly". But Hinata would do just find for Kankuro's idea.

None of them could deny that the shy female was perfect for the job. However, while the two eldest sand siblings were fantasizing, Baki had a thought that swiftly burst their bubbles. "IF she accepts the proposition of being Gaara's "lovely item"..."

Boy did that do the trick. Both fantasizers were knocked to the floor with that blow, leaving the redhead to come up with a suitable defense.

"There's nothing wrong with just asking. Even if she refuses, it's not like we're dead-set on Kankuro's plan. We can always go back to plan A."

"What's plan A?" all three shinobi asked. Since when had there been a plan at all? That wure was news to them.

"Protect the village and slowly gain their trust and respect, just like Naruto Uzumaki."

They should have known. One thing the young demon-vessel was almost obsessed with was the nine-tailed fox-boy. Not because of the power he possessed but the friends that he had been able to acquire despite his demon. If there was anything Gaara wanted more than anything, it was someone to call a friend. One would be enough for him. He wasn't selfish.

When he was a naive child, he had foolishly wished for all the children of Suna to be his friends. Needless to say that didn't happen and by age 6, Gaara had guarenteed that it would never happen. But now that he was older, he knew his mistakes and was paying for them.

"So... shall we go make a house call?" Kankuro asked with a grin. It meant a road-trip mission that didn't involve getting their asses kicked. And it was important because the sooner Suna trusted Gaara, the sooner it had a new Kazekage. He didn't want that position- too much paperwork.

Temari and Gaara nodded and set off to pack for the trip to ask Hinata Hyuuga to be Gaara's lovely item.

((What do you think? Send me reviews to tell me if I should keep this going or not!))


	2. The Proposal

(I'm late... I'm sorry. No internet where I am and my laptop's super mad at me for not getting my internet protection updated. But while I had started the chapter way, WAY long ago, I can't find my notebook that has the starter... oh well, wasn't that good of a start anyway.

Thanks to all who have read, reviewed, and watched this story. And without further ado...))

Chapter 2: The Proposal

Hinata Hyuga watered the garden behind her house carefully. She didn't want to hurt the plants by killing them with too much water. But not enough water was just as dangerous. Like the human body, a healthy balance was absolutely necessary. Thank goodness for her Kekkei Genkai, the Byakkugan. She knew exactly the right amount to put in and the flowers were blooming marvelously.

But if anyone would have looked in, the flowers wouldn't get as much attention as her wardrobe would. After all, it was almost 85 degrees and she was still in her typical bulky attire- a large cream colored coat with white fur and red symbols on the shoulders, dark blue skin-tight pants, and black wrap shoes. She hadn't cut her hair since the Chuunin Exams. It wasn't from laziness, she just felt that she'd changed so much since then... it would be a shame to cut it and somehow revert back to the way she was.

Okay, she was still very quiet, blushed deeply when it came to any mention of Naruto and his progress. But she got along a lot better with Neji. Well, at least he stopped glaring at her for being born in the main Hyuga line. And her father stopped thinking of her as a failure. She could fight as well as any Konoha kunoichi and had proven herself.

But lately... everyone was treating her different. Ino and Sakura were trying to get her coat off of her, Kiba was no longer talking like he usually did and Akamaru almost seemed to blush around her. Even Shino seemed to be looking her way more. Not that she'd caught him or anything. But she had the feeling that he was.

Sighing, Hinata put the watering can onto the ground and headed inside. It was times like this that she really... really wished it was night time. Then she could dance among the flowers. Well, she could do it now but she would have to take her coat off. And if someone saw her... oh dear, the thought was mortifying enough!

She planned to start supper but at that moment, the doorbell rang. Visitors? Perhaps her father was expecting someone? At any rate, it was not in her nature to leave guests hanging. She would entertain them as any well-bred Hyuga woman. Once at the door, she opened it and, with one simple look, slammed the door without a word.

Her face was bright red, pale eyes wide. What were the Sand siblings doing here?! And why were they in Konoha?! Was something bad happening again?! Her mind instantly went to Naruto and her heart sank. Who was their enemy this time...? Closing her eyes against her painful heartbeats, she jumped as the doorbell was rung again. She resigned herself to answering the door to some of the cruelest ninja she'd had the displeasure of meeting in the Chuunin Exams.

Opening the door, she kept her eyes on the ground as they passed into the entryway of the Hyuga compound. Temari Sabaku went in first, her dark green eyes deeply contrasting her spiky blond hair. Tall, statuesque, with the body of a war goddess, the very walls of the entryway seemed to bend away to allow her battle aura plenty of room.

Kankuro Sabaku. He was more light-hearted but hated "little kids". However, when it came to his outfit, it was both threatening and absolutely...adorable. Purple paint lined his face and was framed in a black hood. The hood almost gave him the resemblance of cat ears. Hinata absolutely LOVED cats and had a hard time not giggling at their first meeting. Until she'd seen him in battle. Apparently, kitty had claws... and a deadly puppet called Crow.

Finally, Gaara... Sabaku no Gaara. Hair as red as blood, skin as white as fresh snow, and seafoam eyes rimmed in black. He was perhaps the most terrifying guy she'd ever come across. And the fact that he held a demon, like Naruto did, made him that much more scary. He stood just a little taller than she was and his hair had grown, albeit not as much as hers had. His outfit was now red and brown... she liked it better than the one he had in the Exams. Not that he'd tell him that...

She quickly went to the front of the line and lead them to the main sitting room. "Um... I-I didn't k-know w-we were e-ex-expect-ting you... is th-there any-anything y-you would l-like t-to dr-rink wh-while y-you wa-ait for m-my father?" she squeaked, blushing deeply as her stammering only seemed to get worse with each passing moment.

Temari waved it off. "No, that's okay. We're actually here to talk to you. So we don't have to wait for him."

"M-me?" Hinata's eyes looked at them all, blinking nervously. "Why?"

Kankuro smirked as he slumped in a chair. "Congratulations. You've been chosen to be Gaara's lovely item."

Temari smacked Kankuro across the back of his head. "You idiot! We have to explain before she get's freaked out! You can't just rush into something like this!"

The bluenette backed away. "Wh-what's going o-on? L-lovely i-item?"

The redhead sighed. It was obvious that he didn't want to talk but it seemed like he'd have to. "I'm trying to get the people to like me... I want to be Kazekage but I've scared them for 12 years... To have a better chance at gaining the position, I need them to trust me to save them. Kankuro thinks that you'd make a good lovely item... er... someone cute who can counter-act my scariness. And Temari... well, she wants a girl around to dote on."

Hinata didn't know if she liked the explaination any better than the abrupt proposal. But at the sight of Temari's pouting blush... it made her want to. "I-I need to ask m-my fa-father... W-would y-you like t-to stay h-he-re? As our guests, un-til th-the mat-ter is resolved?"

Temari instantly brightened up and she grinned. "Sure beats staying in a motel! Let's get you out of that bulky coat and into something cute!" She quickly pulled a blushing Hinata out of the sitting room.

Kankuro tilted his head. "What about us...? Do we just sit here?"

((I guess so... Tee hee, now Temari's gonna be all pushy like Ino and Sakura. Jeez, that's a scary thought. Oh well, read and review!))


	3. Chapter 3

((Starting this chapter early compared to how long you've all had to wait for the last one. I would have done it yesterday but work pissed me off sooooooooo much. Long story short, I didn't get my side to pass off meds. As a direct result of me getting the easy side, I was able to make supper and wash all the dishes I dirtied. Unfortunately, the other medication aide screwed up one resident's meds so that resident had to stay up 2 hours longer than she wanted to. And other people decided not to do the other dishes so after they sat on their asses for an hour and a half, I got begged to do the very thing I was on strike about... washing the rest of the dishes and cleaning the kitchen. Those assholes didn't even check the residents I had to neglect because I was busy "wonder-woman-ing" the kitchen. Yeah... still pretty ticked and going absolutely insane. But at least I can still write and THAT will cheer me up.

So thanks to AmaiNeiko, Aki666, haikuowl, and evilsugarnazioverlord for all the kind reviews. Thanks to haikuowl, Aki666, flyaway2fanfictionland, XxTheDarknessOfMySoulxX, KendraTheVideoGameNerd, AkiraLynn, EverxSoxShy, BDM-girl, and SasoriHime05 for favoriting this story and myself as it's author. You all keep me writing and bring a smile to my face with every kind word you give me. At least I know that I still got it going on.

Well, enough stalling, yeah? Let's get this show on the road!))

Chapter 3: Dancing the Stress Away

Hinata blushed deeply with every compliment that Temari gave her. The blond dug out clothes that didn't look like she would wear. And in fact, they were so girly that the only reason she would have them were that they were for the Hyuga girl.

"It's such a good thing that you filled out to my size! I was so worried that these wouldn't fit but the clerk wouldn't let me get any other size! Kept trying to flirt with me and everything, it was so weird! No guy should know the difference between off-white and champane!" Temari looked like a kid in a candy store as she held up a beautiful lavender kimono with vibrant wine-colored flowers painted on them. In comparison to some of the more traditional clothes in Suna, this was like a breath of fresh air and was sure to bring out the slight lavender of Hinata's eyes and the flush of her cheeks. "Perfect! Put it on!"

"Wh-what? H-here? W-w-with y-you w-wa-atching?" Her stammering was getting worse by the second, her cheeks almost black-cherry red.

Temari rolled her eyes, cocking her hip to the side. "Duh. It's not like you have anything that I don't have. And besides, I have to make sure you don't run off. I swear, it was such a hassle just getting that coat off of you- you owe me for this, you know."

Hinata felt the fire of anger flash through her. "How do you think that I owe YOU!?" She flinched right after she said that and whispered, "I-I mean... I like m-my clothes j-just as th-th-they are..."

The blond sighed. Now she was feeling a little guilty for torturing the poor girl with fashion. "I didn't mean it like that... You like Naruto. I doubt your feelings have changed much since you're pretty much the same as before... but the way I see it, this is training for you to beautify your cute and gain the confidence you need to tell the idiot. I know for a fact that he's too damn dull to get it unless you tell him straight to his face. So just indulge me with this and become a woman who can get what she wants." Just because she felt a bit guilty did not mean she wasn't going to lighten up on this idea. Not one bit.

The small Hyuga lady sighed softly before picking the outfit up with trembling fingers. "C-could you help me with the obi? I-I've never... I mean, I-I would be h-honored... if you would h-help me..."

Temari grinned. She knew if she brought Naruto into this, the bluenette would cave. Hook, line, and sinker. It seemed that within a few moments, the kimono was on, the silver obi intricately tied in a beautiful bow. The pushy blond was now busying herself with Hinata's hair. She made it very clear how happy she was that it was so long and well-kept. Strands of hair framed her face as the rest was tied up in a messy bun held up with pins. "You are so cute!"

Hinata blushed, pouting softly. "No makeup..."

"No makeup. I don't have any. That'll change when we get to Suna, though."

"W-we s-still need Fa-father's a-approval... a-and I-I h-haven't d-dec-cided..."

The blond rolled her eyes but said nothing. The bluenette was sure to help them- she was too nice not to. Even if she was terrified, she would always do what she believed was right.

Hinata pulled away from Temari, whispering, "I ne-ed to m-make dinner... If y-you w-will please e-ex-excuse me..." She rushed off as fast as she could, not wanting to ruin the kimono.

Temari chuckled, shaking her head. Oh well, time to snoop in her closet. If she was sneaky enough, she could throw away anything that would conceal her lythe form. After all, with Temari around, she'd have a ton of cute clothes to replace them with. Sending a frightening glare to the left, she growled. 'And it starts with that bulky coat!' she thought with a wicked grin.

Meanwhile, Kankuro was driving Gaara insane- er, he was giving his younger brother "helpful advice" on how to make a woman happy. And the desert demon-carrier was not exactly grateful.

"So remember, ya gotta get 'em while they're hot and willing or else all they'll do is push you away. Be considerate of their needs and they'll surely take care of you, got it? And remember to pay attention to their yappin'! Can't stress that enough... no chick wants a guy that says "uh-huh" all the time and won't talk to them about the stuff they think's important."

Gaara covered his ears against the words. "If you don't shut up, I'm gonna tell Temari about all of your advice!" he growled, sand puffing up threateningly.

Kankuro pouted. "Fine... there'll be plenty of time for the "talk" later..."

"Talk?" Gaara glared at him fiercely. "There's a talk? No, I'm not listening to you talk another second!" He disappeared with his sand, unsure of where he was going.

Hinata jumped as she felt a presence behind her. Looking back, she saw a clearly angry Gaara standing there, sighing in what seemed to be relief. "G-Gaara? Are you... I-I mean, wh-what can I d-do... f-for you...?"

"..." Gaara looked her up and down. Without that coat and in clothes that actually accentuated her figure, she was, what Kankuro would call, hot. She seemed to have breasts about Temari's size and her hips flared out in a way that brought out certain animal instincts that he blamed the Shukaku for. "At least Temari's useful..." he grumbled, slumping against the wall, shutting his eyes.

"... I guess s-so..." Her tone was confused but she gave a slight smile before going back to cooking.

Gaara didn't have to open his eyes to know that it was chicken... and it smelled delicious. Of course, with Temari's cooking, anything else would be considered delicious. His sister had been getting better but it's not saying much. Kinda like raising the bar off the floor. And learning that not everything had to be fried.

Opening his eyes, he silently approached Hinata's back and looked over her shoulder curiously. He remember vaguely how they'd been the same height. Now he was a bit taller than her- he liked that. However, he was also able to smell her lilac and waterlily scent. Damn Shukaku instincts... It wasn't like she poured on the perfume like some old lady trying to cover up the smell of mothballs.

He looked at her face and noticed how her cheeks were much darker than just a moment ago. He knew it was his fault so he backed off without a word, no apology offered. The demon within seemed to enjoy making the Konoha ninja get all hot and bothered. He shook his head- wrong metaphor.

Hinata clicked off the stove and shut the rice cooker off at the exact moment her father entered the kitchen. "Hinata... why are there Suna ninja here?" he asked, looking at his fidgetting daughter. He raised an eyebrow at her clothes, making her twitch even more.

"I- th-they..." she squeaked softly, looking at her hands.

"I can explain the situation during dinner. It's quite a doozy of a story, I can assure you, Mr. Hyuga..." Temari smiled her cocky smile, easily communicating for the grateful young lady.

Hinata groaned, entering her room. Supper was very uncomfortable as Temari smooth-talked her father into "loaning out his daughter" for Suna's sake. He agreed to it and Temari couldn't have been happier. Kankuro seemed to gloat about how it was all his idea. And Gaara... Gaara just sat there, eating his food. The only time he said anything was when he asked Hinata for seconds. She complied and a silent nod was her thank you.

After she escorted the siblings to their guest rooms, she knew that she needed to dance. It was more than just a want, it was an absolute need. Her limbs burned with ever movement it took to get out of the beautiful, yet confining, outfit. Pulling on a thin black tank top and small black shorts, she was ready to dance amongst the flowers.

She left her room through the window and once her bare feet touched the earth, she sighed in relief. The Hyuga female went to the middle of her garden and looked up to see the full moon illuminating herself in faerie light. Her hair was still up as Temari had left it. And as the world thrummed it's natural rhythm, she began to dance with the moves that coursed through her veins.

The pins in her hair fell one-by-one, as did the stress she'd experienced during the chaos of that day. It was so odd. Her, a lovely item? Since when? Did everyone know but her? Was that why everyone was behaving so weirdly around her? From a lump of coal, how did she suddenly become this diamond in the rough that her friends seemed to see? And would it always be this way? She wanted things to change but not so much. She wanted Naruto to like her. She wanted her teammates back. She wanted her father to be proud of her. She wanted Sakura and Ino to leave her alone. She was glad to help the Sabaku siblings with their plans. She wanted to be friends with Gaara, not just a tool to further his agenda.

The wind blew through her hair, offering comfort as she swayed in it. Hips tilting and twisting, arms raising over her head and threading through Zephyr's embrace. Eyes shut so she could feel without seeing. Her chakra was always in full control at this time of peace so when she danced to the koi pond's edge, she entered the water's border, dancing still without any interruptions. She was so into it, her senses had dulled... and she did not see certain seafoam eyes gazing down at her as she continued with her lovely ritual.

((Caught in the act... I loved it when she danced in Shippuden. I'm not totally with it when it comes to the episodes but I did see that part and I have it downloaded onto my phone. Like I said, I love it and I think it shows how much of a lovely item she is without even trying. Well, I'll let it end here so do what you all do best. Review and keep me happy, please... PLEASE!))


	4. Temari's Mistake, Gaara's Solution

(( I was informed long ago by someone who actually watches Shippuden that they didn't know what episode Hinata danced in. I just assumed it was Shippuden but come to think of it, she had short hair in the dancing picture I had on my phone. Sorry!

My thanks to and lidianm for their kind reviews! And momofletti, I will try to get more Gaara-Hinata fluff for you! Right after I piss her off...))

Chapter 4: Temari's Mistake, Gaara's Solution

"You threw away my clothes!"

The sand sister blinked at the rage displayed on the timid Hyuga's face. She hadn't even known it was possible to get that reaction. And it didn't seem to disappear like the first small flare-up did the night before. But then again, Temari was no pushover and stated her case flawlessly and without batting a lash.

"Not all of them. Just the ones you use to hide your body. I swear, there was more material on your body, you could have made a make-shift tent..." she replied nonchalantly, waving off the accusation.

However, Hinata was having none of it. "How dare you?! I liked those clothes! And the ones that you didn't throw away were my underwear, one tank top, and the shorts I'm wearing right now! You didn't even leave me any pajamas to wear!" After her dancing spree, she'd fallen asleep in the tank top and shorts after deciding not to change into her usual nightly attire of matching pjs. Now she wished she had checked out her drawers.

"It doesn't matter. I'm paying for your new wardrobe. We'll just get you some cute night dresses too. And I brought plenty of clothes to replace your hobo-wear... You should be thanking me." The demand was clear but the look on her face was still inattentive.

"I will not thank you for throwing away my coat!" Her voice caught a little at the mention of her favorite piece of clothing. What was she going to do without it? Everyone was already treating her different- at least with the heavy coat, she stood half a chance at being normal... Tears filled her eyes as her heart ached at the thought and she knew she couldn't stay there another second. So she ran out the door, glad that her sandals had made it through Temari's crusade.

Gaara glared at his sister, not pleased. Did she really have to do that to his only shot at gaining people's acceptance? It was hard enough just trying to keep her as a "lovely item". He shivered at the thought of him being connected with someone like her. But he would admit, not out loud, that Hinata was definitely a bigger catch than she had been years ago and with that coat. He liked the way the black tank top and short-shorts looked on her.

Instantly, his mind went back to the previous night when she danced beneath the moonlight. Her hair fluttered with the light breeze and her movements were as smooth as her skin. Now he knew why she smelled so flowery- it was the scent of her garden. That night, she'd worn no shoes and the dirt clung to her slender feet, seeming almost desperate to remain with her as part of the silent dance. He hadn't known that a person could move like that. Fighting was one thing- Hinata had been quite another.

Temari saw his glare and snorted. "I didn't do anything wrong. I have clothes to replace those others and she'll look better in these. And she doesn't need a coat in Suna. No one goes out after sunset." She was right. The night time held dangers that even Gaara wasn't responsible for. But that didn't mean he wasn't blamed for it.

His eyes lit up in sudden realization. Hinata was dancing late last night- surely this wasn't the first time she'd done so. And unless she had a coat, the desert would freeze her out of that habit. Of course, he could always tell her to stay inside at night but for some reason, he didn't want to restrict her of the outside world. Even if they were stuck together in public, she wasn't a bird that one could cage whenever he so desired. So with a small sandstorm, he disappeared to where he felt Hinata's furious energy-waves were coming from.

After storming off into Konoha and effectively evading everyone that knew her, Hinata found herself on top of the Hokage Monument. She knew that since Naruto had already defaced the stone faces once, he would not be up here to do so again. And no one else ever came up there to relax. She wanted to be alone in her fury because if she talked to someone about it, the timid Hyuga's fiery rage would burn out like it always did.

That brought about another flash of rage. Everyone expected her to always be so "backstage" with her emotions that no one realized that she actually could have her feelings hurt. She was always quiet, always mousey. No one gave her a second thought. Even her family members overlooked her feelings. Was she always meant to be the perfect child who always aimed to please but never got the gratitude to go with it?

Hinata sighed, her rage dissipating to sadness. Now that she had no clothes, she couldn't take a break from being Gaara's little doll. Again, she was being thrust into the role of an object for someone else's personal gain. And like always, no one was taking her feelings into consideration. Perhaps this was why she wanted to hide all the time. No one was paying attention before so she didn't see the point of dressing up- she was a kunoichi, for God's sake. Dressing up meant having a clean vest on for a mission of great importance. But no, now she couldn't even be treated like a ninja. Her teammates wouldn't let her do her "thing" because they suddenly realized that she was a girl. Her hair had grown so long that it sometimes got in the way if she didn't tie it back, though the silky blue locks always found their way out of the hair tie.

A gentle breeze blew some of the aforementioned hair into her face and she felt a grainy substance touch her hand. She growled softly, knowing who was there and not in the mood to listen to him command her back to the Hyuga compound like a dog. She looked at him with narrow pearl-lavender orbs. "What are you doing here?" Although she was ticked off, she kept her voice as polite as possible. She was going to be working with him so she didn't want to ignite his anger before their mission began.

He looked at her with his own seafoam orbs. His arms were crossed as always but this time, there was a dark purple object in his hand. He slowly approached the hostile Hinata and sat down without a word, handing over the purple thing.

Hinata took it from him, feeling that it was made out of cloth. Upon further inspection, she discovered it was a coat. A blush rose to her pale cheeks as she lightly caressed the gift. It wasn't as big as her old one and it was sure to hug her curves a bit but it was the thought that counted. "Thank you... but what about T-Temari...?"

Gaara didn't acknowledge her words and she was about to give up hope for an answer when he replied with his deep raspy voice, "She won't be a problem. The coat is a good color for you and it's not as bulky as your old one..." He paused, gazing at her from the corner of his black-rimmed eyes. "... and the night gets colder in the desert than it does here... I recommend wearing that when you dance or at least taking it with you. I don't know how well you can move in it..."

The bluenette's face was vibrant with her embarrassment. He saw her! He saw her dance! But how? She made sure everyone was asleep before she- She pushed her face into the coat to conceal her mortification. Of course... she just HAD to forget that Gaara didn't sleep! She could kick herself for forgetting about that problem! Now there was no way she could dance if she was going to be spotted by him!

"I-I'm s-s-sor-ry... I-it won't ha-happen a-again..." she squeaked from the cloth of the coat.

Sand rushed forward and made her look up to face him. Her eyes were wide as she saw that he'd gotten closer to her. His nose was almost touching hers and his sand was holding her still, her arms unable to move to put some distance between their bodies.

"I want to watch you dance... it's safer with me around. I don't know why but I didn't mind your dancing last night... No one does that in Suna. The only fools that walk around at night are unsavory characters that want to hurt people for money or sex. I won't have you getting hurt when you have a job to do. Understand?"

Hinata felt a shiver go down her spine at his words. But she couldn't tell if it was from the sound of his voice or from the fact that he wanted to watch her dance. It almost seemed like both. Her heartbeat was pounding at the thought of him being so close. She tried to nod but ended up having to agree to his terms verbally. "Y-yes..."

Gaara nodded before looking down at her chest thoughtfully. Hinata's insides squirmed as she wondered what he was looking at and why he wasn't looking away. She got her answer when he placed his head on her chest, his ear against her beating heart caged within her ribs. She knew her heart was fluttering at an accelerated rate that rivaled rabbits.

The redhead removed his head and nodded to her before going back to his spot next to her but not in her personal space. The sand crept back into his gourd and he unhooked it to set it down beside him. "We'll stay here until you want to go back..." His tone made it obvious that he didn't want to waste too much time.

But the bluenette was more concerned about why her body refused to calm down. The actions Gaara had made towards her person didn't seem sexually based, merely curious. She couldn't ask him about it. At least not now. Now was the time for calming down and enjoying what little time she had away from Kankuro and Temari. And Gaara, as confusing as he was, didn't seem to be spoiling her "alone" time in the slightest. He was actually a very enjoyable companion, despite his silent moods that he seemed to be coming out of slowly... just for her...

((Alright, this is the end of this chapter and I hope you all like it! Review to tell me what you thought! Ideas are welcome!))


	5. Suna's First Reaction

((Well, it's been about a month or so since I've posted a new chapter onto Desert Snow. It's been busy over here with work and I'm currently surrounded by family for a late X-mas get-together. A little awkward being around people- what a recluse I've become...

Anyway, thanks to everyone who has favorited and reviewed this story! You are the people who keep this story going!))

Chapter 5: Suna's First Impression

It had been 2 days since Gaara had given Hinata her new coat. Temari was adament about not apologizing to her but in the end, it was okay. They just silently agreed that there was nothing that could be done about the missing clothes and that was that. Now they were approaching Sunagakure and the heat index had shot through the roof in a matter of 15 minutes. The coat was now tied around her waist, exposing the lavender sundress (courtesy of Temari's fashion line) that clung to her curves.

The blunette wiped the sweat off her forehead, looking around at the landscape. Sand... and more sand. There were a few cacti in the distance but for the most part, it was all sand. She used to love the way the sand sparkled in the sunlight, mimicking gold. One of her favorite forms of art was sand-art. Yeah... not anymore.

The Sabaku siblings surrounded the Hyuga princess as they entered the city of Suna. People parted to make way for them before stopping in shock at the new face. Men blushed, women glared, and the occasional crying child stopped crying. Temari grinned and leaned into her new friend (?).

"Get ready to be eyecandy..." she whispered before shoving Kankuro to the left and going to the right, exposing Hinata in all her foreign glory. Her skin was like porcelain, soft pearl eyes looking around in embarrassment. Her cheeks started flushing and she moved closer to Gaara, hiding behind him as her shyness took control.

The men rushed over to her, slowing in caution as they tried to get her away from the resident demon. But the closer they got, the closer she got to said demon, and the more uncomfortable Gaara got. His sand puffed up in aggravation. This caused more panic and one fool lashed out, grabbing the girl in a bruising grip, pulling her away.

She didn't make it a step away before sand wrapped around her body, up the man's arm, and effectively crushed it at the wrist. Screams of hysteria rang through the streets as everybody ran away from the scene. The injured male was begging Gaara not to kill him but he didn't seem to hear it. His eyes were unfocused as the scent of blood slowly seeped through the sand-vice. Temari was screaming at her brother to let the man go. Kankuro was looking nervously around as if trying to find someone who could actually help. The situation was about as bad as it could get without resorting to murder.

Hinata's brain didn't seem to process any of the chaos around them. She could feel the sand around her body and with her kunoichi training, she could feel his emotions. And she had to stop them from taking control of the situation.

She turned around within the sand's bindings, calm as can be. She slowly stepped towards the enraged demon-vessel and gently put her hand on his arm. Sand latched on, squeezing in warning but she didn't let go. She didn't flinch at the sudden contact. "Gaara-san... Gaara-san, it's okay." Any stuttering that normally affected her speech was non-existant.

The sand froze as if recognizing her voice. Gaara's eyes locked onto Hinata's, seafoam against lavender. She softly smiled at him and asked, "Please let him go... I'm safe now. I'm not going anywhere."

Slowly... ever so slowly... the sand receded back to his gourd. It wrapped back around her body the way it had come and she shivered slightly as she felt the blood that had come from the man slide passed her cheek. The injured man just ran away, yelling out for medical attention.

Soon, all the sand was put away and he looked down at her hand. The sand had rubbed at the flesh of her wrist, bruises slowly forming. He lightly touched the wounds and felt her wince as her adrenaline-high wore down. "Sorry..." he whispered softly, still fingering the reddening areas.

Hinata was still smiling a bit, her face now flushed at the closeness of the young man. "N-no problem... but remember, I AM a ninja... I can take care of myself..."

The redhead looked down at his feet before re-establishing eye contract with a smirk. "Not in that dress..." The statement only made her blush more as she pulled her wrist away from the young man.

"WELL, THIS IS JUST GREAT!"

The moment was ruined as Temari stomped up to them, pissed as all Hell. "What part of 'Lovely Item' didn't you understand?! First, you totally blow your chances with the people by raising Kane and injuring civilians! And now you've HURT Hinata! You've double-damned yourself, Gaara!"

Kankuro cleared his throat and commented, "I don't think it's bad as we think..."

The blond rounded on her brother, green eyes ablaze. "HOW is this NOT AS BAD AS I THINK?!"

"Well, think about it. Yeah, Gaara freaked out but... that scene was something else..."

Temari shut up as she thought about it. Hinata had really proved herself as a lovely item. She was able to calm down her little brother and she almost looked angelic as she did so. Her indigo hair fluttered in a breeze that no one could feel at the time. The sand almost made her skin look like diamonds. There was a definite charge in the air when their eyes clashed and the emotional understanding between the two were beyond any outsider's comprehension. For better or for worse, this plan was going to work out. She just hope that it was the best of both situations.

Hinata softly took his hand and pulled him along. "W-we shouldn't st-stay here... we n-need to make sure that that man is o-okay. He w-was only trying to do what h-he thought was r-right b-b-b-but he was still wr-wrong when it came to how he de-ealt with the situation..."

The demon-vessel growled but didn't say a word as he followed, ignoring his now smirking siblings. He knew what he was supposed to be working on the situation at hand but he couldn't help it. How was he supposed to succeed when he flies off the handle as soon as he arrives home? So much for a well-laid plan...

"Rome was not built in a day... there will be more chances..."

He looked at her in slight surprise. How did she know what he was thinking? Without looking at him, she said words that pushed all his worries away. Hinata Hyuga was quite a girl...

((Yes, she's not stammering as much as usual. But hey, adrenaline is a funny thing. And perhaps her new clothes are giving her a bit of confidence? I really don't know, I just wanted a scene like that between the two. It's a shorter chapter. Sorry! Review and tell me what you think!))


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